April is Alcohol Awareness Month

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and Prevention and Recovery Services wants to take this opportunity to raise awareness of alcohol abuse and encourage people to make healthy, safe choices.

Warning Signs of Alcohol Abuse

If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may have a problem with alcohol:

• Do you drink alone when you feel angry or sad?

• Does your drinking ever make you late for work?

• Does your drinking worry your family?

• Do you ever drink after telling yourself you won't?

• Do you ever forget what you did while drinking?

• Do you get headaches or have a hangover after drinking?

Source: How to Cut Down on Your Drinking
Strategies to Cut Back or Quit Drinking

There are many strategies you can try to cut back or quit drinking. To get started:

• Keep track of your drinking and set a drinking limit.

• Try to avoid places where heavy drinking occurs.

• Ask for help from a doctor, family, or friends.

• If you keep alcohol in your home, keep only a limited supply.

For a list of 12-step meetings in the Shawnee County Area, visit http://www.parstopeka.com/12stepindex.asp.